Hi guys,my basic translation of the essence is as follows:
Q1: Is there something to celebrate?
A: Big chance to reorganise into leaner organisation,management reduced,mistake of outsourcing labour to China corrected (!),you only have such a chance in a time of insolvancy(!).
Q2: How is business going at Marklin?
A: X-mas sales are in preparation,business is much better than anticipated,in August we did not require a seasonal bank credit,we have finance till the end of the year,last year turnover was Euro 120 million,at Euro 25 mi8llion loss,that was our starting point.
Q3: Despite the negative toppling over (of a ship)over the last months?
A: There was also positive news,we now know what Marklin fans are really made of,they come from all layers of society.and they are not only people wearing loc drivers caps,going down into their traincellar with a whistle in their mouth.Pluta is trying to say that non-train interests were also having a warm heart for Marklin.
Q4: Who are these Marklin fans?
A: For example Horst Seehofer (president-minister of Bavaria),he got a special locomotive for his 60th birthday.
We also had something in mind for Wiedeking,then boss of Porsche......
Q5: Was Wiedeking (Porsche) not interested to take a share in Marklin?
A: That was a rumour,a wish by investment advisors,there is a difference between one who loves the product and one who is just in daily routine of business/investing.
Q6:During the Marklin days,40,000 people will visit Goppingen from all over the world,can Marklin afford to organise that?
A:That is a must,Marklin must do that!
It is a fixed sales tool,taking into account the importance for the town of Goppingen,it would be INSANE (Wahnsinn)to stop organising that.
It is the ultimate sales event!
Q7: During those days,would it not be a good idea to announce the sale of the company?
A: The sale has been published sufficiently,worldwide 134 interested parties recorded,36 serious candidates selected confidentially,you can not better that.
Q8:Seven serious parties by now?
A: Yes,seven parties accepted,we are now in the serious stage of bidding.
We have to see what comes out of that.
Q9:Are you not time-pressed than?
A: No,we are not!That was our main target,to ensure not to become time-pressed.
Question was:what are we going to do when no candidate comes,or when only one candicate comes which could not offer what we want.We can only stop that when we are a stable company.
Q10:Who is behind the seven interested parties,do they come from the same business?
A: Despite rumours that parties from China and Russia were interested,we are dealing mainly with west european companies.
We gave them following demands:
- They have to bring sufficient money
- They must be able to run a business of this size
- THey must have a long-term interest.
Q11: What happens with production in Goppingen,are buyers interested in Goppingen at all?
A: Yes,as fas as we now know.
I am not a friend of massive removal shifts.
I am a friend to commit to production in Germany,but we need to clearly tell the market what product we offer and in which quality.
We have to show that Marklin cannot be compared with cheap parts from elsewhere,China for example.
Q12:There were hundreds of job losses,a smaller productrange,different way of doing busines,are these changes now over and done with?
A: I hope that very much!
But:Marklin is not only Goppingen,Hungary factory has same size,in both places you can do the same,you should not forget.
It is surely worthwile to purchase some parts elsewhere.
I am not in favour of expanding outsourcing of parts,one has to decrease that,i think.
Q13: Why attempts to walk away from pure modelrailway,like Spye and circus Mondalino?
A: I was worried to see the large stocks in the warehouse,that is not the proper direction,i believe we should make clear Marklin is high-tech,one should make that clear to young people (anspruchsvoll= appealing to).
Q14: Would it be useful to create a theme park in Goppingen,so that children could easily access their productrange?
A: That would be good,Miniaturwunderland in Hamburg is in an unattractive building but attracts millions of visitors,Marklin should be able to do that also,in Goppingen,would fit better.
Q15:Was Marklin saved by the bell because of the jubilee celebration (punktlich=on time).
A: What do you mean by saved?
Q16: That the company can now be run profitable.
A: That is my intention,we can prove that Marklin can be run profitable.
You cannot go from 20 pct loss to 10 pct profit within a half year,a few more steps have to be taken.
At the moment,we are not running at a loss.
Q17: Will Marklin celebrate another jubilee in 25 years time?
A: We must hand over Marklin in other hands in such a way that the current insovancy remains the only one in the history of the company.
Q18:Who has brought Marklin down,was it the Marklin family who sailed a wrong course,or was there a company-raider at work?
A: No,it was not a company-raider.There were various reasons.Everything was left as is,people were sitting back,people were not fighting for marketshares,people thought Marklin is such a nice brand,that will sell itself.
There was no person who said:i will commit to a proper product at a profit,i think a company needs such a person.
Q19: There were other reasons,you yourselves critised the people from Kingsbridge,they were paid what was agreed on beforehand,that is it.
Should i have asked the investors (Kingsbridge)?
Reporter: surely not the investors.
Pluta: They have managed the company....
I doubted whether investors like these can run a company.
Q20: They got enourmous salaries....
A: They have put in their hours.
That is for 8 to 9 million Euro per annum.
Marklin was not able to absorb such costs.
Reporter: In particular when the loss was 20 million per annum.
Pluta: The loss was a bit higher than what was charged for advisory tasks...
Q21: Why was the emergency brake not pulled by someone?
Who would that be? There was no mister Marklin.
Pluta basically says here that the raiders could not be controlled!
Q22:Any indications of criminal intent?
A: I have read all reports,everything i found very expensive.
Q23: People were dealing with money on a big scale (grozzugig=big train)
A: Clear,when the top guys are getting the money,next in line is lower management,than the word keep-silent-money comes into the picture,you scratch my back,and i scratch yours.
This was not criminal,just out of proportion....
Personal profile of Pluta (Zur Person):
Age 58,lawyer,was ordered to take care of the Marklin insovancy case.
Together with 19 other insolvancy lawyers and 200 sales/law staff in ten towns,he is the number five of the German insovancy companies.
End of my free translation.
My general comments:
A) Nothing new in this interview,Pluta speaks in general terms,he does not tell us about the 2010 new releases.
B) I will not translate something like this again,sorry folks,just too time consumeing.
Marklin: The dream will survive!
Edited by user 03 November 2009 20:36:04(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified